President's Update

18 October 2017

As all members will now be aware, the 2017 election has been decided and those who will guide the Society for the next two years have been elected. I congratulate them all and wish them well for their coming terms.

I am now entering the fourth quarter of my time as President – the ‘championship quarter’ as so many sports coaches like to call it.

During this vital period I will continue to focus on the Society’s core mission of supporting good law, good lawyers for the public good, and the values of our profession – fidelity, service and courage. The ethical bar is set deliberately high for solicitors, because of the privileged position we hold, both in our clients’ trust and within the justice system itself; if we fail that standard the system itself fails and society suffers.

We are the face of the legal system for most laypeople, and the way we conduct ourselves – both in practice and in our other endeavours – informs their confidence in the justice system. This is crucial, as Australia has a collaborative system of justice – that is, our system works because we can rely on most people to do the right thing most of the time – whether or not anyone is watching.

Courtesy, collegiality, respect; fidelity, service, courage – simple but powerful words, and ones all solicitors are obliged to take to heart.